Hose construction, coupling arrangement therefor and method of making the same

ABSTRACT

A hose construction, a coupling arrangement therefor and method of making the same are provided, the coupling arrangement being utilized for conveying fluid therethrough and having a filter unit disposed therein to filter the fluid flow through the coupling arrangement, the coupling arrangement being a quick connect-disconnect coupling arrangement that comprises a first tubular coupling member having opposed open ends, a second tubular coupling member having opposed ends one of which is telescopically disposed in one of the ends of the first coupling member, and a staple-like fastening member securing the one ends of the coupling members together in the telescoping relation thereof.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application is a continuation patent application of its copendingparent patent application Ser. No. 092,788, filed Sept. 2, 1987, nowabandoned, which, in turn, is a divisional patent application of itscopending parent patent application, Ser. No. 881,533, filed July 2,1986, now U.S. Pat. No. 4,707,262.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to a new hose construction and to a new couplingarrangement therefor or the like, as well as to a new method of makingsuch a coupling arrangement.

2. Prior Art Statement

It is known to provide a coupling arrangement for conveying fluidtherethrough and having a filter unit disposed therein to filter thefluid flow through the coupling arrangement, the coupling arrangementcomprising a first tubular coupling member being threadedly connected toa second tubular coupling member with the filter unit having a part heldbetween the threadedly interconnected coupling members to filter thefluid flow through such coupling arrangement.

It is known to provide quick connect-disconnect coupling arrangementswherein the telescoping ends of a pair of tubular coupling members aresecured together by a staple-like fastening member. For example see theU.S. Pat. No. 2,772,898 to Seeler, and 4,431,218 to Paul, Jr. et al.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is one feature of this invention to provide a new couplingarrangement for conveying fluid therethrough and having a filter unitdisposed therein to filter the fluid flow through the couplingarrangement by forming the coupling arrangement to be a quickconnect-disconnect coupling arrangement so that the down time forchanging the filter unit is relatively short when compared to the downtime for changing the filter unit in a prior known coupling arrangementthat is secured together by a threaded arrangement.

For example, this feature of this invention permits an in lineaccessibility of the filter unit taking approximately 30 seconds tochange rather than the current 30 minutes for the prior knownarrangement.

While the coupling arrangement of this invention can be utilized influid lines of various types, one such use is in a longwall miningapplication wherein the hose construction utilizing the filter unitwould be on the longwall shield, such as the hose line interconnectingeach shield, as opposed to being located on or in the valve bank as inthe prior art whereby the use of the coupling arrangement of thisinvention would be less costly, have less down time, have easierreplacement, simpler maintenance, etc.

Accordingly, one embodiment of this invention provides a couplingarrangement for conveying fluid therethrough and having a filter unitdisposed therein to filter the fluid flow through the couplingarrangement, the coupling arrangement being a quick connect-disconnectcoupling arrangement that comprises a first tubular coupling memberhaving opposed open ends, a second tubular coupling member havingopposed open ends one of which is telescopically disposed in one of theends of the first coupling member, and a staple-like fastening membersecuring the one ends of the coupling members together in thetelescoping relation thereof.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a new couplingarrangement having one or more of the novel features of this inventionas set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new method of makingsuch a coupling arrangement, the method of this invention having one ormore of the novel features of this invention as set forth above orhereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide a new hose constructionutilizing such a coupling arrangement, the hose construction of thisinvention having one or more of the novel features of this invention asset forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from areading of this description which proceeds with reference to theaccompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view of the new hose construction ofthis invention, the coupling arrangement of this invention in FIG. 1being illustrated in solid lines and the remainder of the hoseconstruction being schematically illustrated.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary cross-sectional view of the couplingarrangement of FIG. 1 and is taken on line 2--2 thereof.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 3--3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 4--4 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the various parts of thecoupling arrangement of FIGS. 1-4.

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 2 and illustrates another hoseconstruction of this invention, FIG. 6 illustrating the couplingarrangement of the hose construction in cross-section and the remainderof the hose construction schematically.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 7--7 of FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 8--8 of FIG. 6 andillustrates in fragmentary phantom lines an additional staple-likefastening member.

FIG. 9 is an exploded perspective view of the various parts of thecoupling arrangement of FIGS. 6-8.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter illustratedand described as being particularly adapted to provide a hoseconstruction for the mining industry, it is to be understood that thevarious features of this invention can be utilized singly or in anycombination thereof to provide a coupling arrangement or hoseconstruction for other industries and/or uses as desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodimentsillustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized toillustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-5, the improved hose construction of thisinvention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 20 andcomprises a coupling arrangement of this invention that is generallyindicated by the reference numeral 21 and comprising a first tubularcoupling member 22 having opposed open ends 23 and 24 interconnected ina quick connect-disconnect in a manner hereinafter set forth to adjacentopen ends 25 and 26 of adjacent coupling members 27 and 28 whereby thecoupling member 27 can be considered as a second coupling member and thecoupling member 28 can be considered as a third coupling member of thecoupling arrangement 21.

The coupling members 27 and 28 are in turn respectively interconnectedto hose or conduit lines 29 and 30 in any suitable manner known in theart, such as by a threaded connection means as illustrated by internalthreads 31 formed in the end 32 of the coupling member 28. Of course, itis to be understood, that other fastening arrangements can be providedfor interconnecting the hose lines 29 and 30 to the coupling members 25and 26 as desired whereby the hose lines 29 and 30 together with thecoupling arrangement 21 comprise the hose construction 20 of thisinvention.

It is to be understood that the coupling members 22, 27 and 28 and hoselines 29 and 30 can be formed of any suitable material and in theembodiments illustrated in the drawings, the coupling members 22, 27 and28 are shown as being formed of metallic material.

The open end 25 of the coupling member 27 is telescopically disposedwithin the open end 23 of the first coupling member 22 and is securedthereto in such telescoping relation by a staple-like fastening member33 formed of any suitable material, such as metallic material, andhaving its legs 34 and 35 respectively passing through opening means 36and 37 formed through the end 23 of the coupling member 22 and beingreceived in an annular groove 38 formed in the external peripheralsurface 40 of the end 25 of the coupling member 27.

Similarly, the end 24 of the coupling member 22 is telescopicallydisposed within the end 26 of the coupling member 28 and is securedthereto in such telescoping relation by a staple-like fastening member41 that can be identical to the staple-like member 33 and has the legs42 and 43 thereof respectively passing through opening means 44 and 45formed in the end 26 of the coupling member 28 and being received in anannular groove 46 formed in the external peripheral surface 47 of theend 24 of the coupling member 22.

The open ends 24 and 25 of the coupling members 22 and 27 are formedsubstantially identical to each other but in the embodiment illustratedin the drawings are of a different size. Similarly, it can be seen thatthe open ends 23 and 26 of the coupling members 22 and 28 are likewiseformed substantially identical to each other but are of a differentsize.

In this manner, the open ends 23 and 25 of the coupling members 22 and27 cooperate with each other and with the fastening member 33 in thesame manner as the open ends 24 and 26 of the coupling members 22 and 28cooperate with each other and with the fastening member 41 so that eachpair of telescoping open ends are of the quick connect-disconnect typeas fully disclosed and claimed in the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No.4,431,218 to Paul, Jr., et al, whereby this patent is being incorporatedinto this disclosure by this reference thereto.

Therefore, the details of the quick connect-disconnect structure for thecoupling arrangement 21 of this invention need not be fully set forth.However, it can readily be seen that the open ends 25 and 24 of thecoupling members 27 and 22 respectively have annular grooves 48 and 49that respectively receive annular sealing means 50 and 51 thatrespectively seal against the internal peripheral surfaces 52 and 53 ofthe open ends 23 and 26 of the coupling members 22 and 28 when the openends 25 and 24 are respectively telescopically disposed therein.

In addition, it can be seen that the open ends 25 and 24 of the couplingmembers 27 and 22 respectively receive annular flexible sealing members54 and 55 in annular grooves 56 and 57 respectively formed in theexternal peripheral surfaces 40 and 47 thereof, the annular flexiblesealing members 54 and 55 being respectively engaged in a compressingmanner by internal beveled shoulders 58 and 59 of the respectiveinternal peripheral surfaces 52 and 53 of the open ends 23 and 26 of thecoupling members 22 and 28 so as to be radially inwardly and axiallycompressed when the locking pins or fastening members 33 and 41 aredisposed in their locking positions in order to provide a loading forceon the respective fastening members 33 and 41 to tend to reduce theshock loads on the locking pins 33 and 41 in the manner fully set forthin the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 4,431,218 to Paul, Jr. et al.

Thus, when it is desired to disconnect the coupling member 22 from thecoupling member 27, the staple-like fastening member 33 is removed fromthe openings 36 and 37 as illustrated in FIG. 5 and the end 25 of thecoupling member 27 is then adapted to be untelescoped from the end 23 ofthe coupling member 22 whereby it can be seen that the coupling members22 and 27 together with the staple-like member 33 define a quickconnect-disconnect coupling arrangement.

Similarly, the ends 24 and 26 of the coupling members 22 and 28 can beuncoupled by merely removing the staple-like fastening member 41 fromthe openings 44 and 45 so that the ends 24 and 28 of the couplingmembers 22 and 28 can then be untelescoped so that the coupling members22 and 28 together with the staple-like fastening member 41 providesanother quick connect-disconnect coupling arrangement.

A filter unit that is generally indicated by the reference numeral 60 inthe drawings comprises a self-contained unit that is disposed within thecoupling member 22 and is secured therein when the end 25 of thecoupling member 27 has been fully telescoped within the end 23 of thecoupling member 22 whereby the fastening member 33, when fastening theends 25 and 23 of the coupling members 27 and 22 together in the mannerpreviously set forth, effectively secures the filter unit 60 within thecoupling arrangement 21.

The filter unit 60 can be formed in any suitable manner and in theembodiment thereof illustrated in the drawings comprises a cup-shapedtubular housing 61 formed of any suitable material, such as metallicmaterial, plastic material, etc. and having a closed end 62 and an openend 63, the open end 63 being defined by an outwardly directed annularflange 64 adapted to be trapped between an internal annular shoulder 65of the coupling member 22 and an annular shoulder or end face 66 of theopen end 25 of the coupling member 27 as illustrated.

The side wall 67 of the cup-shaped housing 61 of the filter unit 60 canbe provided with a plurality of openings 68 passing therethrough andleading to an internal chamber 69 of the housing 61 which is adapted tocontain any suitable filtering material therein if desired.

For example, when such filter unit 60 is to be utilized in the longwallmining application previously described, the filter unit 60 can beconstructed to have a filter capability of approximately 2 microns toapproximately 800 microns as the same filters.the fluid flow through thehose construction 20 and/or coupling arrangement 21 as is well known inthe art.

However, as previously stated, by utilizing the coupling arrangement 21that is of the quick connect-disconnect type and is adapted to sandwichthe flange 64 of the filter unit 60 between the cooperating shouldermeans 65 and 66 of the coupling members 22 and 27, the filter unit 60can be readily replaced in the field as the coupling members 22 and 27can readily be uncoupled by merely removing the staple-like fasteningmember 33 so that the filter unit 60 can be removed and a new one beplaced therein in a relatively short period of time as contrasted withthe prior known arrangement wherein the coupling members are securedtogether by a threaded relation therebetween.

It should be noted that the coupling arrangement 21 is so constructedand arranged that when the shoulder means 65 and 66 of the couplingmembers 22 and 27 compact the annular flange 64 of the filter unit 60therebetween, the annular sealing member 54 is placed under radial andaxial compression by the beveled shoulder means 58 for the purposepresviously described.

Therefore, it can be seen that the coupling construction 20 of thisinvention can be formed by the relatively simple method of thisinvention to filter fluid flow through the hose construction 20 aspreviously set forth.

While the coupling construction 21 of this invention which has beenpreviously described as having the coupling member 28 provide a quickconnect-disconnect coupling arrangement with the open end 24 of thecoupling member 22, it is to be understood that the open end 24 of thecoupling member 22 could be provided with internal threads on theinternal peripheral surface 70 of the open end 24 thereof so as tocouple directly to other structure by a threaded relation if desired.

Another hose construction and coupling arrangement therefor of thisinvention are respectively generally indicated by the reference numerals20A and 21A in FIGS. 6-9 wherein parts thereof similar to the hoseconstruction 20 and coupling arrangement 21 therefor as previouslydescribed are indicated by like reference numerals followed by thereference letter "A".

As illustrated in FIGS. 6-9, the coupling construction 21A issubstantially identical to the coupling construction 21 previouslydescribed except that the end 24A of the coupling member 22A comprises atubular part that is formed separately from the remainder or bodyportion 71 of the coupling member 22A and is provided with an internalthreaded portion 72 that threads to an external threaded portion 73 ofthe remainder or body portion 71 of the coupling member 22A asillustrated. In this manner, the end 4A of the coupling member 22A canbe removed therefrom and replaced by another sized part 24A in athreaded relation therewith. Thus, other sized ends 24A for coupling todifferent sized coupling members similar to the coupling member 28previously described can be utilized with the same body part 71 wherebysuch an arrangement reduces production costs and simplifies inventoryrequirements for the end user.

In addition, the adapter or coupling member 27A of the couplingarrangement 21A is not provided with the sealing member 54 and itsannular groove 56 previously described that cooperate with the beveledshoulder 58 as previously described. Instead, the end face or shouldermeans 66A of the end 25A of the coupling member 27A is provided with anannular groove 74 which receives part of an annular flexible O-ring likesealing member 75 therein that is adapted to be disposed in sealingcompressed relation against the annular flange 64A of the filter unit60A when the flange 64A is sandwiched between the internal shouldermeans 65A of the coupling member 22A and the end face or shoulder means66A of the coupling member 27A when the same are secured together by thefastening member 33A in the manner previously set forth.

Thus, the compressed sealing member 75 provides a dual function ofsealing the open end 63A of the filter unit 60A and provides an axialloading of the coupling member 27A on the staple-like fastening member33A soas to eliminate linear movement between the coupling members 27Aand 22A when the hose line 20A is pressurized and thereby greatlyimproves the mechanical engagements and dynamic and static applicationsthereof.

Therefore, it can be seen that the coupling arrangement 21A of thisinvention provides a quick connect-disconnect coupling arrangement forremoving and replacing the filter unit 60A in substantially the samemanner as the coupling arrangement 21 previously described except thatthe coupling member 27A has the flexible annular sealing member 75 forproviding the dual function of sealing against the open end 63A of thefilter unit 60A while preloading the fastening member 33A for thereasons previously set forth whereby the sealing member 75 eliminatesthe need for the sealing member 54 of the coupling memer 27 previouslyset forth.

However, it is to be understood that the coupling member 27 previouslyset forth could be provided with an annular groove in the end face 66thereof and receive an annular sealing member therein in the same manneras the annular sealing member 75 previously set forth so that suchannular sealing member 75 could be utilized in combination with theannular sealing member 54 if desired.

Therefore, it can be seen that this invention not only provides a newhose construction and a new coupling arrangement for such a hoseconstruction, but also this invention provides a new method of makingsuch a coupling construction.

While the forms and methods of this invention now preferred have beenillustrated and described as required by the Patent Statute, it is to beunderstood that other forms and method steps can be utilized and stillfall within the scope of the appended claims wherein each claim setsforth what is believed to be known in each claim prior to this inventionin the portion of each claim that is disposed before the terms "theimprovement" and sets forth what is believed to be new in each claimaccording to this invention in the portion of each claim that isdisposed after the terms "the improvement" whereby it is believed thateach claim sets forth a novel, useful and unobvious invention within thepurview of the Patent Statute.

What is claimed is:
 1. In a hose construction for conveying fluidtherethrough and having a coupling arrangement therein, said couplingarrangement having a filter unit disposed therein to filter the fluidflow through said hose construction, the improvement wherein saidcoupling arrangement is a quick connect-disconnect coupling arrangementthat comprises a first tubular coupling member having opposed open ends,a second tubular coupling member having opposed open ends one of whichis telescopically disposed in one of said ends of said first couplingmember, a removable fastening member securing said one ends of saidcoupling members together in the telescoping relation thereof, saidfilter unit having means that is held between said one ends of saidcoupling members when said one ends are in said secured telescopingrelation thereof whereby said filter unit is secured in said couplingarrangement by said means thereof, and an annular flexible sealingmember carried by said coupling arrangement and being in a compressedrelation therein to provide a loading force on said filter unit and onsaid fastening member, said means of said filter unit comprising anoutwardly directed annular flange, said one end of said first couplingmember having an internal annular shoulder means, said one end of saidsecond coupling member having an annular shoulder means, said annularflange of said filter unit being held in sandwiched relation betweensaid shoulder means when said one ends are in said secured telescopingrelation, one of said shoulder means carries said annular flexiblesealing member in said compressed relation between said one shouldermeans and said annular flange of said filter unit when said one ends arein said secured telescoping relation.
 2. A hose construction as setforth in claim 1 wherein said filter unit is a self-contained unit.
 3. Ahose construction as set forth in claim 2 wherein said filter unit isreadily removable from said coupling arrangement when said couplingarrangement is opened.
 4. A hose construction as set forth in claim 1wherein said one shoulder means has an annular groove therein thatreceives part of said annular flexible sealing member therein.
 5. A hoseconstruction as set forth in claim 4 wherein said one shoulder means issaid shoulder means of said second coupling member and comprises an endface thereof.
 6. A hose construction as set forth in claim 1 whereinsaid coupling arrangement comprises a third tubular coupling memberhaving opposed open ends, said first coupling member having the otherend thereof telescopically disposed in one of the ends of said thirdcoupling member, said coupling arrangement comprising another removablefastening member securing said other end of said first coupling memberand said one end of said third coupling member together in thetelescoping relation thereof.
 7. A hose construction as set forth inclaim 1 wherein said coupling arrangement comprises a third tubularcoupling member having opposed open ends, said first coupling memberhaving the other end thereof telescopically disposed in one of the endsof said third coupling member, said other end of said first couplingmember comprising a threaded tubular part that is threadedly connectedto said first coupling member.
 8. A hose construction as set forth inclaim 1 wherein the other open end of said first coupling has fasteningmeans adapted to be secured to other fluid conveying structure.
 9. Ahose construction as set forth in claim 8 wherein said fastening meansof said first coupling member is externally located on said firstcoupling member.
 10. A hose construction as set forth in claim 9 whereinsaid fastening means of said first coupling member is adapted to formpart of another quick connect-disconnect coupling arrangement.
 11. Ahose construction as set forth in claim 8 wherein said fastening meansof said first coupling member comprises a threaded tubular part that isthreadedly connected to said first coupling member.